In our latest installment of Val-You Based Care, Dr. Kimberly Ku welcomes Dr. Julie Chang of SSM Health System for a deeply reflective conversation about mentorship, authenticity, and redefining success in medicine.

Dr. Chang is a leader known not for flash or charisma, but for steadiness, clarity, and core values. Throughout her career, she has mentored others with a simple but powerful philosophy: people are people—not titles, labels, or roles. Whether mother, physician, leader, or colleague, she sees individuals first and helps them grow into the best version of themselves—not into someone else’s mold.

Together, Dr. Ku and Dr. Chang explore what it means to communicate directly without people-pleasing, to lead without ego, and to embrace diversity not as a slogan, but as a lived reality. Dr. Chang also shares her decision to pivot to part-time work in order to prioritize family—an honest look at the tension between ambition and presence in a profession that often feels like a treadmill.

This episode is a powerful reminder that meaningful leadership isn’t loud. It’s steady. It’s values-driven. And sometimes, it requires the courage to step back in order to be fully present.

For anyone navigating career growth, mentorship, motherhood, or leadership in healthcare, this conversation offers grounded wisdom and practical insight for becoming a real person in a world that often pressures us to perform.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:12 - Julie's deep influence as a mentor

6:50 - Being authentically present for someone else

15:16 - Understanding people's boundaries and sense overwhelm

22:56 - Breakthroughs via community work

30:50 - The "other" part of our lives

39:15 - Leveraging AI within patient care

46:47 - Self-discovery throughout our medical journeys

49:30 - Closing remarks

In Episode 3 of Val-You Based Care, Dr. Kimberly Ku is joined by Dr. Chadi Nabhan—physician, thought leader, and host of Healthcare Unfiltered—for a wide-ranging conversation about what honest, timely communication in medicine really looks like.

Dr. Ku first encountered Dr. Nabhan as a conference moderator, where his clarity, authenticity, and command of complex conversations immediately stood out. That same presence carries into this episode as the two explore how storytelling, trust, and thoughtful communication shape meaningful patient care.

Together, they unpack why simply following guidelines and data isn’t enough—and how story, context, and human connection help patients understand their care in ways that numbers alone cannot. Dr. Nabhan shares patient stories, reflects on the skills that define masterful communicators in medicine, and discusses why community-based physicians often excel at forming deep, lasting patient relationships.

The conversation also takes on the modern pressure of FOMA—the fear of missing anything—in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. While new tools and innovations emerge daily, Dr. Nabhan makes the case for staying grounded in what truly works: honest conversations, relational care, and earned trust.

This episode is a powerful reminder that the most effective medicine happens at the intersection of expertise, authenticity, and communication—and that progress doesn’t always mean chasing what’s new, but strengthening what matters.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:39 - Honest and timely conversations in medicine

9:20 - The power of story within the medical field

17:37 - Treating communication as its own skill in medicine

24:50 - How do we quantify masterful communication?

31:53 - "To be honest"

35:44 - Being a lifelong learner

39:19 - Closing remarks

In Episode 2 of Val-You Based Care, Dr. Kimberly Ku sits down with Marie—a current patient who has been courageously living with cancer for several years—for a deeply human conversation about illness, meaning, and the power of communication.

Rather than centering fear or tragedy, this episode explores what happens when difficult diagnoses are met with honesty, presence, and perspective. Marie shares how she relates to her cancer without carrying it as something negative, approaching life with peace, gratitude, and openness—even as the reality of young adult cancer remains uncomfortable for many to acknowledge.

Through their dialogue, Dr. Ku reflects on the evolving role of physicians—not as friends, but as trusted advisors—and how patients themselves often become teachers in moments that demand empathy, clarity, and courage. The conversation also addresses why doctors struggle with young patients, how families navigate uncertainty together, and why meaningful communication can transform moments that might otherwise feel overwhelming.

When the Patient Becomes the Teacher is a powerful reminder that bedside manner is not small talk—it’s a skill, a responsibility, and a cornerstone of truly human care.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:06 - Communication with your doctors

6:32 - Marie's experience while Dr. Ku was away on maternity leave

10:40 - Marie's journey with cancer

17:38 - Dealing with a cancer diagnosis as a young person

24:28 - Medical professionals learning the skill of communication

33:20 - The importance of simply 'trying'

35:39 - Closing remarks